Captive Heat

by Susanna Eastman

  Table of Contents

  Captive Heat

  Publishing Page

  Dedication

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  About the Author

  Also Available

  Also Read

  Thank You

  Captive Heat

  by

  Susanna Eastman

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.

  Captive Heat

  COPYRIGHT © 2015 by Susanna Eastman

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or The Wild Rose Press, Inc. except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

  Contact Information: info@thewildrosepress.com

  Cover Art by Angela Anderson

  The Wild Rose Press, Inc.

  PO Box 708

  Adams Basin, NY 14410-0708

  Visit us at www.thewilderroses.com

  Publishing History

  First Scarlet Rose Edition, 2015

  Digital ISBN 978-1-5092-0345-1

  Published in the United States of America

  Dedication

  To MEM with love

  Chapter One

  She woke to blinding pain. A bomb—or something like a bomb—had gone off in her head, and its echoes pounded on every nerve ending in her brain. Mia struggled to peel open her eyes, but her lids refused to budge. She swallowed hard and clenched her lips. What the hell was wrong with her?

  Tightening her stiff neck muscles, she raised her head and shook it back and forth, trying to rid herself of the painful sensations hammering inside. She was flat on her back on a cold, hard surface, and her awkward position made any movement challenging. Taking a deep breath, Mia strained again to inch open her eyes. Finally, she succeeded, but her rewards were minimal. Her vision, blurred and cloudy, wouldn’t allow her to make out anything. It took her another moment to realize there was nothing to see but a dark, empty room.

  Where was she? What had happened?

  Puzzled and woozy, Mia wracked her brain trying to figure out what was going on. She remembered strolling back to her quarters after a busy day at work. The two suns that lit and warmed Delphus, her family’s adopted planet, had set for the day, and the chilly evening air made her eager for the warmth of her home.

  But even with the cold, Mia had a happy little skip in her step as she sauntered to her quarters, hugging her new teacher’s book bag to her chest. A month ago, she’d started working at a council school, a job she’d been striving toward for three years. The children, a wonderful mix of youngsters from many races and species, were excited to learn, and they liked her too.

  That’s the way things were on Delphus. She’d always felt safe on her adopted home—until now.

  The acute throbbing in her head started again, and Mia groaned from the pain. Who would have thought simply thinking could hurt so much? When she tried to stretch, to arch her back, the movement required more energy than she could muster. Tensing her forearms, she lifted a hand to cup the top of her head, and her mouth dropped open. A thin, coarse rope was tied in a perfect figure eight around her wrists.

  “Oh, God,” she cried under her breath as she struggled to keep her hands within view. Who would do something like this?

  Mia shimmied on the floor, like a desperate worm on a stick, frantic to find a way to haul herself into an upright position. Anything would be better than lying there.

  The small, repetitive movement stripped away what little strength she had, but she refused to give up. Exhausted, she breathed deeply through her nose, pulling vital air into her lungs. A bead of sweat dribbled down her cheek and rolled into her ear, but she was too tired to wipe it away.

  While she couldn’t sit up enough to actually see her feet, Mia concentrated on simply moving her legs. She panted as she struggled to yank her ankles apart then bit back a frustrated cry. The small motion wasn’t possible—rope bound her ankles too.

  Adrenalin pumped through her veins, as her strength, spun with panic and shock, returned in full force. She released a hot breath and quelled the urge to struggle. Without the use of her arms, she would only exhaust herself more.

  Instead, Mia stared at her wrists, her eyes peeled on the secure binding. The rope, made of hemp or jute, fit snugly around her skin, offering little wiggle room. But by twisting her index finger, she could almost poke the end of the fraying cord. Impatient for results, she bit down hard on the center of the complicated-looking knot.

  Nothing.

  Refusing to accept failure, Mia brought her teeth back down on the fat little knot again. She applied unrelenting pressure on the tight bump—no gnawing or grinding this time—but instead of making headway, her teeth slipped and clamped down on her lower lip. “Damn!”

  Ignoring the pain, Mia swiped her lips against the back of her palm, barely acknowledging the metallic taste of the blood that dripped from her mouth. The rope wouldn’t give—not even a fraction of a millimeter. Instead, the sharp fibers tore into her flesh, making her wrists pink and raw. Her spirit sagged at the thought of giving up. Could this be hopeless?

  A moment later, the door to her tiny room burst open and bright light flooded the chamber. Her eyes dampened as she squinted hard against the sudden illumination. Two males strode in, pointed to her, and bounced up and down in an angry dispute. In a different situation, it might have been a comical scene. She was the obvious focal point of their tirade, but they acted as if she wasn’t even there.

  They were Bermers, a race of active traders in her sector of the galaxy as well as the nearby Balas and Jetis sectors. They were small and broad in stature with dark wiry hair and very round heads. Mia didn’t know the Bermer language well, but she could parse out bits and pieces of their words. When one spared a glance in her direction, she deciphered the phrases “golden crown” and “shining waterfall.” An unpleasant quiver crawled up her spine. They were talking about her hair.

  Very few people on Delphus, including other Earthlings, had light-blonde hair, and Mia’s attracted attention wherever she went. Sometimes strangers were so fascinated by her long, wavy mane they actually asked to touch it. One little girl had wanted to know if her hair was a waterfall of sunshine.

  Over the years, she’d gotten used to the interest in her hair and normally wore it back in a long braid to discourage attention. It wasn’t a surprise these Bermers had noticed her fair hair too. But when they referred to her eyes, her mouth, and her breasts, the tiny hairs at the back of her neck stood up. Realization plowed her in the gut, and her stomach churned. There was only one logical answer here, and she wanted to scream. They were sex traders, and she was their latest piece of merchandise.

  If her head hadn’t been a pounding battlefield, she would have realized why they grabbed her in the first place. Her family had no wealth, no political power, nor connections. If she hadn’t been taken for ransom, there were only a few other reasons an attractive female would be abducted from a busy urban neighborhood.

  Her kidnappers argued back and forth on the heated topic of her price. One thought they should negotiate a higher fee due to her long, golden hair. The other believed that would be bad business.

  Her price? This was insane. Mia wanted to yell and insist they release her immediately. They had no right to make her their business, but any ranting and raving would fall on deaf ears. In fact, th
ey’d probably ignore her completely. She was nothing to them but a commodity.

  A commodity. Merchandise.

  Oh, God.

  The reality of her circumstances socked her in the gut. It didn’t seem possible, but she was about to be sold on the black market. Didn’t they know she was a schoolteacher with a family who loved her? They had no right to steal her life away.

  Tears burned the back of her eyes, and her shoulders shook, but Mia wrenched back control. She had no desire whatsoever to be somebody’s sex toy. Someone who purchased kidnapped individuals would certainly not be a good and decent person.

  Her heart raced as she took a deep breath to steady herself. Losing it wouldn’t help her situation at all. She would have to keep her mind clear and wait for any opportunities for escape.

  ****

  From the cockpit of his small space voyager, Jaden kept his gaze peeled on his ultra-high frequency galactic scanner. He had a natural affinity for codes—or more accurately for breaking codes—and he’d been following the activity on this link for hours. The Bermers had kidnapped a woman on Delphus. From his intelligence, this was the third woman they’d abducted in the Celsus sector in twenty qualits. They’d started to get bold—or desperate.

  This time, they’d grabbed and sedated a young woman, twenty-one year old Mia Townes, on a neighborhood street in full view of a dozen citizens. Delphus was a peaceful planet, so this kind of event would stun the population and not be ignored. Her image had been broadcast on all the network links for qualits.

  The Bermers were a dangerous people who trafficked in human beings for the wealthy citizens of Santara, a planet located on the outskirts of the Balas sector. It was an open secret Santarans bought and kept young and attractive females. Their corrupt government turned a blind eye to the practice, and many of their leaders, including Green District chairman Rolof Walish, maintained literal harems of stolen women.

  Jaden hunched over his computer terminal and inserted the communications earpiece into his ear canal. He closed his eyes as he listened for patterns of sound in the frequencies identified by his computer.

  Running some intercepted gibberish through his code-breaking algorithm, he deciphered the beginning of a message in the Bermer language. Focusing in on the complicated patterns and trends, the message became clear. They had Mia Townes, and they would be arriving in Santara in less than a qualit.

  His lips thinned as he thought of the pretty woman who’d been stolen from her home. Damn these slavers. If he had anything to do with it, Mia Townes would never reach her destination. An instant later, he recorded the coordinates of the alien ship and programmed his vessel for an intercept course. The Bermers were in for a surprise.

  Jaden put aside his earpiece and plugged in the latest intel on Mia Townes. With long, golden hair and sparkling blue eyes, she was the picture of classic beauty. But it was her smile, full of kindness and cheer that caught his attention and held it. Jaden lingered for a moment on her smile then scanned her school and work records. Teachers, employers, friends, and neighbors only had good things to say about her. They used words like smart, capable, and kind to describe her personality.

  When Jaden slid open the file on Santaran Rolof Walish, he stared at the image of the tall, gaunt man with bulbous eyes. This vile humanoid had a keen interest in beautiful, blonde female Earthlings. Mia Townes was the type Rolof Walish prized.

  Not this time. Rolof Walish wouldn’t be adding this female to his growing collection.

  Jaden eyed the lovely woman on the link one more time. His throat tightened as he surveyed her face. He stared into perfect blue eyes that took his breath away. It wasn’t her fault she was so beautiful and sexy; she hadn’t been asking for the attention.

  Jaden swallowed hard, annoyed by the quick tightening in his groin. What the hell was wrong with him? She was a victim, probably terrified right now. His mission was clear, and he had no business thinking about her in any other way. He’d get her back to the people who cared about her soon.

  ***

  Staring at the cold metal walls, it was impossible to tell the time. Mia was almost certain at least eight to ten hours had passed since she’d first awakened on the Bermer vessel, but she was far from sure. Her brain was no longer full of sludge, but she still had no idea how to get out of this situation. The drugs they’d given her—and there had been drugs—made it impossible to think straight.

  The low groan of the ship’s engine was a constant reminder the life she loved was slipping away. When she imagined what might be ahead, panic surged inside her, and she trembled all over. She fought the tears that threatened to unravel the little control she still possessed. And she was tired again. She hated the idea of wasting valuable time sleeping, but her eyes drooped, and her body wilted from exhaustion.

  An instant later, a fierce blast rocked Mia awake and her eyes shot open. What was happening now?

  Then everything happened so fast. A man, a humanoid, blasted through the door that held her captive. Using a small, hand-held laser, he shredded the rope that bound her hands. He did the same with her legs. “Can you walk? Are you injured?” he asked, barely glancing in her direction, wanting to keep moving.

  “Yes, I can walk.” She shoved up on sore, shaking legs and stretched. Everything ached, but that didn’t matter. She could do whatever she needed to do.

  “Good.” He faced her for a moment, holding her gaze. She had just an instant to scan his face. Dark hair, dark eyes, hard, masculine jaw. Then, she took in the rest of him. Powerful chest and strong arms in a form-fitting black flight suit. He was also tall, towering over her at more than six feet. But his eyes told her what she needed to know. This man was safe and trustworthy.

  “I’m Jaden Zoma, and I’m going to get you out of here.”

  She nodded her head. He would protect her and end this nightmare.

  “I created a distraction.” He gripped her shoulders and steered her toward the broken heavy-metal door. “It’ll keep your hosts busy for a little while, so we need to exit very quickly.”

  “Who sent you to get me?” Her parents didn’t have the money to hire a man like this. Delphus law enforcement only dealt with on-planet crimes. Her kidnapping might outrage them, but they didn’t have the resources to pursue criminals like the Bermers. They’d never be responsible for a rescue like this.

  Jaden peered into the passage. “I’ll explain later.” He grabbed her arm and pulled her forward. “Just follow my lead and you’ll be safe.”

  The next few minutes passed in a blur as they zigged and zagged down countless passageways. The man knew the Bermer ship like the back of his hand. Thank God, they were going to escape without a hitch.

  Then, the unmistakable burst of firepower exploded around them. Mia cringed, stumbled on shaking legs, and tumbled to her knees. Her captors were shooting in their direction with great accuracy and precision.

  Jaden scooped up Mia and hauled her in front of him, shielding her from the laser fire. Another loud explosion rocked the vessel, and the shooting stopped for an instant. “This way,” he yelled, holding her more firmly as they jetted down another passageway.

  When they landed in the ship’s docking bay, Jaden called out a command, and a ship, hidden using a stealth capability, appeared in front of them. A hatch opened, and Jaden jerked her inside the craft.

  “Strap yourself in,” Jaden commanded as he lowered the hatch and disengaged his vessel from the Bermer ship.

  Mia swallowed hard and followed his direction. He secured the protective straps in his captain’s chair then ran his hands over her belt to ensure it was correctly fastened. “I set some charges when I boarded their ship. They’ll have that little mess I made to clean up, but they’ll start their pursuit as soon as they can. They’ll want to get back their valuable property.”

  As Jaden completed their separation from the larger ship, Mia grabbed on to the wide arms of her seat. She clutched even harder when the sharp burst of laser fire rang in her e
ars. Oh, God, the Bermers were shooting at them. Mia squeezed her eyes shut and said a little prayer as her fingers dug into the chair. The ship wobbled to the right, but she held on tight.

  “Hold on. We’ll be out of firing range soon.” Jaden’s hands flew over the console. He didn’t spare her a glance.

  Mia nodded and her eyes froze on Jaden’s strong and sure hands. Thank goodness he knew what he was doing. He shifted easily between hundreds of switches and buttons as he piloted the shuttle away from the Bermer ship. In that moment, Jaden Zoma defined calm, steady, focused.

  “How do you feel?” He spoke without glancing up from his instrument panel. If she hadn’t been the only other person in the vicinity, she wouldn’t have realized he was speaking to her.

  “All right. I’m all right,” she replied, reassuring herself as well as providing him with her status.

  “Good.” He nodded his head, his eyes still glued to the equipment in front of him. “Breathe into this scanner.” He held a small metallic device in front of her.

  Without question or discussion, Mia accepted the flat, shiny gadget and placed it between her lips. She exhaled several deep, long breaths into the open end of the piece.

  When she handed it back to Jaden, he shoved it into a reading slot in his instrument panel. His screen burst with fresh text. Jaden leaned forward as he scanned the data, his head shooting up and down the complicated read-out.

  Mia opened her mouth and shut it again. Why doesn’t he say something? She edged toward him millimeter by millimeter as she waited for the findings. When he didn’t offer up any information, she couldn’t contain herself. “Is it bad?”

  Jaden twisted in his seat to a different screen display in the cockpit. He still didn’t face her. “They’ve given you a lot of drugs, but you’ll be fine. There’s nothing toxic in your chem panel.”

  “Are you sure? I feel…” The words drugged and hungover came to mind. While she had no experience with either state, she knew the symptoms and what they looked and felt like.